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Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Holes Tied Together With Macrame String

Netting ... Holes Tied Together With String: "LET'S MAKE A STRING BAG

A good way to start your first project is with a ball of macramé twine, which is both easy to manipulate and makes a satisfyingly strong net. Don't be afraid to use another string if you can't get macrame, though ... any strong cord about as thick as a pencil lead will do.

Load your netting needle (sometimes called a bobbin) with the twine: Take a turn of the free end of the ball of string around the tool's pin and carry the cord around the bottom end of the bobbin, back up the other side, around the pin, back down under ... and so on until the reel is full. Cut the twine.

Tie a loop—big enough to let the needle slip through freely—in the end of the string coming from the needle. Call this Loop 1. Slip the circle of cord over a hook in the wall or tie it to a doorknob, a low branch of a tree, the back of a chair, whatever. When I was young my embryonic long-net for rabbiting was constructed with its first loop tied to the U-trap under the washbasin in the bathroom."

I feel across this wonderful pattern - just click on the title to go to the webpage with the whole pattern. It is not 'pure' Macrame, and it actually reminded me of the Onion Baskets I used to make when I was a little'un. Does anyone have an old pattern for that? Mine seem to have been turfed by my parents in a house move...guess none of us were fortune tellers and knew I would be getting back into Macrame :)

Monday, August 29, 2005

Cool Cubes Beaded Bracelet Pattern

Cool Cubes Flat Netting Beaded Bracelet




What You'll Need to Make Your Own Cool Cubes Flat Netting Beaded Bracelet
Cool Cubes Flat Netting Beaded Bracelet
Cool Cubes Beaded Bracelet
Paula S. Morgan

Here's what you'll need to make your own Cool Cubes Beaded Bracelet:

* Approximately 60 5mm X 5mm Cube Beads.
* Approximately 350 Matte Dark Copper round seed beads [/link]
* 10 Size 8/0 Matte Gold seed beads
* Two 10 mm pieces of French Wire
* One 10 mm Toggle Clasp
* Size 12 Beading Needle
* Nymo "D" or other beading thread
* Beeswax or Thread Conditioner (optional)

Make your Base Row of Flat Netting


Thread a size 12 beading needle with Nymo "D" and approximately 5 feet of beading thread. Wax or condition the thread (optional). Add one Mattel Gold size 8/0 bead, three Matte Copper size 11/0 seed beads and a 5mm X 5mm Cube Bead. Repeat until you have added a total of 17 5mm X 5mm Cube Beads. Add another 3 size 11/0 Matte Copper seed beads and finish with a Matte Gold size 8/0 seed bead.



Make the First Turn in the Netting


Now add another three matte copper size 11/0 seed beads, a 5mm square bead and then three more size 11/0 matte copper seed beads. Next, pass your needle through the second size 5mm square bead on the previous row. This will create the first join in your netting. Your row will have two of the 5mm square beads sitting side by side. Continue netting by passing the needle through every other 5mm square bead until you reach the end of the row.





Begin the Third Row of Beaded Netting

Now you will be making the turn for the third row of beaded netting. After your needle exits the final 5mm cube bead for Row Two, add 3 size 11/0 matte copper seed beads, a size 9 matte gold seed bead and another 3 size 11/0 matte copper seed beads. Pass the needle back through the last 5mm cube bead you added. This will create a small loop of beads above the cube bead.

Continue beading from top to bottom for 2 more rows of netting.



Close the Ends of the Netted Rows



After completing the fourth row of netting, add the final 3 size 11/0 matte copper seed bead and one size 8 matte gold seed bead. Add a single size 11/0 matte copper seed bead and then pass the needle through the size 8/0 matte gold seed bead on the adjacent row. Add another single matte copper bead, then pass the needle through the next adjacent matte gold seed bead. Continue until you have passed through all of the matte gold beads.

Add The Toggle Clasp to the Bracelet



Place 8 size 11/0 matte copper seed beads and 3 size 8/0 matte gold seed bead on your thread. Place a 10mm piece of French Wire on the thread, then add the bar portion of the toggle clasp. Pass the needle back through the 3 size 8/0 matte gold seed beads, add 3 size 11/0 matte copper seed beads and pass the needle back through one of the matte gold seed bead. Weave the thread end through the work several times to secure and clip off the remaining thread.


Finish Adding the Toggle Clasp and Bury the Thread


Repeat the step above on the other side of the bracelet adding a single size 8/0 matte gold seed bead instead of the 3 above. Pass the thread back into the bracelet body, weave it in to secure it, and then tie it off. Your new Cool Cubes Flat Netting Beaded Bracelet is ready to wear!

Check out this awesome bracelet pattern that I found one day travelling onto About.com. The complete instructions are here - as it looks like they have taken it off their site now :(. Though they do offer many other great patterns if you click on the link above. Alternatively click on http://www.macramelovers.com. Carolyne :)

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Cavendoli Macrame Experts Help Wanted!

Hi there everyone,

I am hoping that someone out there in bloggersphere can help me with some more great info on Cavendoli Macrame. I have had some delightful readers send me emails asking me for more information.

Specificially rather than what it is, we would love some patterns. So please......send us through ANYTHING that you know about this subject. Just post in response some links or your thoughts.

Many many thanks in advance

Carolyne :)

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Updating Your Macrame

My Life in Words - Sitting in the Bathroom Floor: "Oh, a fun thing - I'm so pleased!
I have this incredible macrame table....it hangs from the ceiling.
Totally retro - and I've dyed it once - to a peach color.
Well, yesterday I dyed it a wine color.
The cool thing is that the cotton rope is so wonderful - it takes the dye so nicely.
The table looks amazing!!"

I thought this was a great idea to re-invigorate your Macrame if you are tired of its current look. Understanding that some yarn takes to dying/redying more than other. Any other suggestions for updating/renovating your work? :)

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Important Macrame Techniques

Techniques: "Techniques

Adding a cord

Sometimes you will need to introduce new cords to make the work wider or to add coloured yarns.
Sometimes a cord breaks or becomes shorter because it has been used more than the others in knotting.

Just slip in a new cord as a filler in a flat knot or secure it within a couple of neighbouring double half hitches.

Subtracting a cord

Just leave it hanging at the back of the work and work it in later. Or knot over it by using it as an extra filler cord inside a flat knot.

Tassels

Wrap the yarn thickly around a firm piece of plastic or cardboard. The length of this should be the same as the desired height of the tassel. Tie a cord around the whole bundle to hold all the strands together and then cut them all at the other end of the bundle. Near this bound end, tie the bundle up in a collecting cord. Trim the ends of the strands evenly. "

Check out Ann's Macrame website for information on all sorts of wonderful things to do with Macrae - it is really great for the beginner! :)

Macrame Beads Have Many Uses!


3-D Tick-Tack-Toe!: "Keep cabin fever at bay with a new version of an old pastime...

3-D Tick-Tack Toe!
David Dyer

This little game—the 'board' for which can be made in one evening—is simply a much more challenging version of the tick-tack-toe almost all of us played (and quickly mastered) as children . . . and the three-dimensional version makes the childhood pastime fun again, even for grown-ups!

The only tools required to construct a 3-D tick-tack-toe set are a saw (a handsaw will do) and a drill (preferably electric) with a 17/64' or 9/32' drill bit. The materials list is equally modest. It includes a 26' section of a 1/4' dowel (you should be able to purchase a 36' length for under 25¢) . . . a scrap of 1 X 4 (preferably hardwood, but softwood is OK) ... 28 macramé beads with 1/4' holes, which cost 10 to 20¢ apiece (get 14 each of two different colors) ... and finishing materials (sandpaper, glue, and stain or varnish)."

If you have some spare beads left over from some of your Macrame Projects, check out this great linke to Mother Earth News! Carolyne :)

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Creative Macrame


Another photos from International Artist and Macrame Designer Jasmina's collection of work and inspiration. Some intricately knotted Macrame Vases.

Please do send in any photos you may have of your work. We would love to see them.

Carolyne :)

How Long Is A Piece of String...Oops Macrame Yarn?

Handcrafted by Elaine - macrame instructions - cord lengths: "Unless you are copying a piece exactly and using the same materials, cord lengths are really a guess.

A rule of thumb for an unknown design plan using a mixture of open and closed spaces:
Your cord should be approximately 4 times the length of the finished piece.
If you are doubling your cord and folding it in half as two cords it should be approximately 8 times the length of the finished piece.

If you are making a piece with a lot of open space, you may be able to use shorter cords.
If you are making a piece with a closed look you will be making more knots and you will need longer cords.

The amount of cord used up in making a knot will be greater for heavier cords than for thin cords.

Some knots will use up different cords at different rates. For example, if you are making a long sennit of square knots, your knotting cords will get used up much faster than your core cords. You may need to allow, for your knotting cords, 5 or 6 times the finished length, while your core cords might only need to be twice the finished length.

Always remember to leave a little extra length for working space. You cannot make the knots at the end of a piece if you are almost out of cord. And allow a little extra for fringes or other decorative endings.

If you are working with very long cords you can wind"

People often ask me about how to know about how long to cut the cords. I know for myself I have always erred on the 'too much just in case' approach. Here is Elaine's take from her website, and there is also a chapter devoted to it in the Complete Macrame Guide..."One Stop Macrame Shop" :)

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

See Macrame Is Just Part Of Our Vernacular!

My Aunt the Carnivorous Moose: "I can't help thinking though that a stalker could provide untold health benefits, spurring me to walk faster and faster especially past the Police station....naturally we would have an unspoken stalker/stalkee bond where he/she only agreed to view me from afar from behind street lights - they would have to be an anorexic stalker to accomplish that - and did not under any circumstances feel the need to pray with me/marry me/do macrame with me..."

Hey there Macrame-ites, I am going a little left of centre, I hope I do not scare you with the seeming macabre posting - it just caught my attention - this is an excerpt from an aspiring novelists post - and he mentions Macrame. I wonder what role it will play in his first published novel... NYPD Macrame, CSI Macrame, Desparate Macrame-ites....the possibilities are endless..... :)

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Chunky Man's Necklace Pattern

Chunky Man’s Necklace



Materials:
1. Cord of preference, comfortable against, skin, for a man, bulkier yarn often preferred.
2. 9 beads, 5 of one kind, 4 of another.
3. Macrame Board


Directions:
4. Cut outside cord 3 yards and inside cord 1 1/2 yards long in length.
5. Tie together in center and pin to board thru knot this makes four ends. Cords 1 and 4 are 1 1/2 yards each and 2 and 3 are 3/4 yards each
6. Measure neck and mark board, indicating center. Note: Add beads to cords 2 & 3.
7. Make 3 square knots and drop 1/2 inch to make square knot. Continue in this manner.
8. Make 3 square knots on opposite end.
9. Turn under & glue or sew.
Fasten with hook & eye.

The Richness of Macrame's Multi Cultural Reach.....

Adrian's Embellishments: "A tallit is a prayer shawl. It is just what it says. It is a garment worn for prayer. In Synagogues and observant Jewish homes around the world, it is worn every morning for the full participation of communion with G-d. Each corner of the tallit is adorned with 4 doubled strands of kosher yarn, usually wool, but sometimes silk or rayon, that are tied in a ritual macrame which relates to the numerology of the Hebrew name for G-d. It is also a reminder of the central prayer of Judaism, 'the Shema.'

The Shema: 'Hear, O Israel, The Lord, Our G-d, The Lord is One.'

I'll explain, in English, what the Hebrew word for the name of G-d in the Shema, means. The Hebrew reads from right to left and is, 'Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey'. Each letter has a numerical equivalent. Yud = 10, Hey = 5, Vav = 6 and Hey = 5 again. If you add these numbers, you get 26. The word for G-d = 26. Add the 2 and the 6 and you get 8. G-d = 8. This symbology is tied into the tsitsit, the ritual fringe.

This is how you tie the macrame for the ritual fringe;

start with-2 double knots, then wind one long string around the remaining pieces of yarn, 7 times,
another double knot, then wind the string 8 times,
double knot, 11 times, double knot.

If you add up the number of windings at this point, 7 + 8 + 11 = 26. The 2 + 6 = 8 = G-d.

The last set of windings of the tstsit is 13, followed by the final double knot (which conveniently keeps it from raveling). This last set is related to the last word in the Shema,"Ehad" which means, "One".

The Hebrew for this word is "Ehad", Aleph = 1, Chet =8, Dalet = 4. 1 + 8 + 4 = 13. (1 + 3 =4)

Therefore, within the windings of the tsitsit, we have a sentence:

"G-d is One".

I have copied portions of this incredible post over to our blog, as it is just such a wonderful and intricate story - a lot like macrame really. It reminds me how much we 'don't' know and just how much there is for us to learn.....fascinating - if you want to know more, click the link and read the whole post - its worth it! :)

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Jasmina's Divine Macrame


This is also from the awesome collection fo work that Jasmina a friend on the other side of the world...from the same country as where the post before originated from....New Zealand! I was astounded by the sheer beauty of this piece, and this was her own design. Take a moment to savour and I would love to receive piccies from beautiful pieces you create. Thank you Jasmina for sending this too me!

Macrame is Far Reaching - There Is No Place Like Home!

It�s time to join our temple fundraiser: "However the project is desperately short of funds and all possible help is needed to finish the huge undertaking.

The temple is not only for the Buddhist faith but provides services for the entire community.

It is a place of peace and provides many community programmes including calligraphy and brush painting, floral arrangement, macrame and more. "

wow talk about blow me away - I was searching for information and tidbits that might interest you about Macrame, and this is what I fell across, and article from my local newspaper from the suburb I grew up in as a child that is on the other side of the world!!!! gosh brings back so many memories!!!!

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Macrame Ideas To Inspire You!


Hello wonderful knotters!

A lovely friend of mine, who is what I would term a super duper, experienced, advanced Macrame person has sent me some gorgeous snaps of both her work and also some photo's from Pattern books that she has used to gain inspiration from.

And get this - they are in German and she doesn't speak German.

As she said to me - you don't always need to follow a pattern - sure when you are an absolute beginner, but when you know the knots, or have instruction handy for them, you can either mix and match from a couple of patterns, or simply use them to visually inspire you to create your own original piece!

How cool is that. Check out these pictures of really beautiful, eye catching work.

Carolyne :)

King Country Rocks!

Free macrame pattern: Lawn Chair: "Free macrame pattern: Lawn Chair
Woven Macramé Lawn Chair Instructions

By: Dawn L. King

Free step by step instructions for weaving a lawn chair with macrame cord, includes detailed instructions and photographs to assist you from turning an empty macrame chair frame and some macrame cord into a wonderful macrame lawn chair.
Supplies You Will Need:
1 - Macrame chair frame

1- Amount of macrame cord corresponding to your type of frame:

Plastic-arm macrame chair: 200 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Plastic-arm macrame rocker: 200 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Wood-arm macrame chair: 250 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Wood-arm macrame rocker : 250 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Solid-oak macrame chair: 200 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Solid-oak macrame rocker : 200 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord
Children's plastic-arm chair: 140 Yards 3-4mm Macrame Cord
Lounge chair: 400 Yards 6mm Macrame Cord

2- Size K crochet hooks for 6mm cord or 2 size J crochet hooks for 3-4mm cord.

"Hi there fellow Macrame Lovers - I don't know if you are aware of this already....? King Country is an awesome website that offers you amazing deals with Macrame and free patterns - I have included the start of one above - just click on the link to get the full pattern for yourself. Happy knotting, Carolyne :)

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Super Craft Woman - Able To Wrapp Tall Buildings With A Single Knot

Strega's Needles & Hooks: "But mostly this is my place to brag about the things I have created with my hands: knitting, crocheting, petit point, cross stitching, macrame, quilting, bead working, and probably some others crafts and hobbies that my 55 yr old mind has completely obliterated from memory. Over the years most of my handwork has been gifted to family and friends, so I can't display samples of everything I've accomplished, however much I'd like to."

gosh I was very impressed when I read about ALL of the crafts that this lovely women is revelling in. And I bet she can change a tyre in under 30 seconds as well. Is this common amongst the craft world to be so 'ambidextrous' (I think my spelling could have been atrocious there) with crafts, or is she really supercraftwoman? You tell me!

Carolyne :)

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

John Rocker Loves Macrame

mikeschramm.com: "The computer is working. If only I could get my brain to do the same.

Bloggers unearthed Rosy Grier’s Needlepoint for Men last week.

Other Little Known Craft Books By Sports Stars

Lance Armstrong’s Quilting While Riding

Tiger Woods Teaches How To Knit Golf Club Covers

John Rocker Loves Macrame

Sammy Sosa’s “Natural Cures” They Don’t Want You To Know About

Bobby Labonte’s Confederate Flag Weaving

OJ Simpson’s The Art Of Cutlery"

Hmmmm methinks they might be pulling our leg?! No really!!! :)

Top Notch Macrame Suppliers

Macramé Suppliers

With so many great projects at your fingertips you may be wondering where you’re going to get your tools and materials. Your obvious first choice is by visiting craft stores in the area where you live. However, you may quickly find that although Macramé is making a big comeback, many retailers are reluctant to carry a large inventory of unique supplies. This means that you need to find alternate sources for all your Macramé needs. The following listing of Macramé suppliers will give you all the contact information that you need to find just what you’re looking for, for your next Macramé project.

Macramé Superstore:

The Macramé Superstore, found on the Internet, is a great source for Macramé tools and materials. Some of the items that you can purchase on this website include: books, cording, accessories (such as purse handles and wire forms), frames for chairs, Macramé kits, project ideas, and specials (such as volume discounts on cording).
www.macramesuperstore.com/


Art Cove:

Art Cove is a great supplier of Macramé materials and tools. Some of the items featured at this online company include cording, wooden beads, and metal rings.
http://www.artcove.com/Macrame/macrame.shtml


Knot Heads World Wide:

This is a body for the Macrame and Craft world. It has its own forum where you can join and post your Macrame questions. Check out:
http://www.khww.net/index.php